14/02/2020
NEWS STORY
The anticipation grows as the 2020 Formula One World Championship season approaches.
Spain's Circuit de Catalunya will host the pre-season testing which will run between February 19th and 21st, and then from February 26th to 28th. The 71st Formula One World Championship officially kicks off two weeks later, on March 15th with the Australian Grand Prix. The series concludes with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix which starts on November 29th.
With a total of 22 Grand Prix events, the 2020 F1 World Championship will be the longest in the history of the sport. Of note, Vietnam will host its first F1 championship race while the Dutch Grand Prix makes its return after a 35-year absence. The German Grand Prix has been discontinued and the Mexican Grand Prix is now called the Mexico City Grand Prix.
However, we may see some unexpected changes and possible cancellations of some events. Because of the recent coronavirus emergency, a Formula E race scheduled to take place in Sanya, China, has already been canceled. That event was to commence on March 21st. The 2020 Formula One World Championship is due to make a stop in Shanghai, China, on April 19th. Coincidentally, the Chinese Grand Prix goes off two weeks after the inaugural Vietnamese Grand Prix in Hanoi. Only time will tell if coronavirus has an impact on the Asian legs of the championship. Or any other events for that matter.
This year's F1 World Championship is on pace to draw well over 4 million attendees. Millions more will follow the series on television and streaming services. Those who have online betting accounts with bookmakers such as Bet365 or Ladbrokes can stream the live action on their personal computers or mobile devices. Imagine the convenience of watching F1 live while you're on the go? Not only that, these F1 bookmakers present bettors with loads of in-play betting opportunities too. Use PayPal to make your sportsbook deposit and you can claim bonus cash and free bets to use on F1 events. William Hill and 888sport are also excellent sportsbooks and online casinos that accept PayPal. Of course, the best Formula One sportsbooks offer other alternatives such as credit cards, bank transfers, and a great selection of eWallets and prepaid options.
Speaking of good bets, Lewis Hamilton has six F1 World Championship titles under his belt. He won his first in 2008 and he has won it in five of the past six years, including the last three in a row. His championship win in 2019 put him one championship ahead of El Chueco and two ahead of Sebastian Vettel. Winning the 2020 Formula One World Championship would tie him with Michael Schumacher who leads the championship title count with seven.
Many F1 fans and bettors have a lot of faith in Hamilton's ability to win his fourth straight championship, and seventh overall. Bookmakers share that sentiment. Despite Mercedes recently admitting they were having issues upgrading their racing fleet ahead of the upcoming championship run, Hamilton is the clear favourite at 4/7. Sportsbooks are giving a few other drivers a bit of respect too. Charles Leclerc is listed at 9/2, Valtteri Bottas is sitting at 11/2, Max Verstappen is also 11/2, and Sebastian Vettel pays 7/1. The odds take a dramatic turn after that. Bookmakers have Alex Albon set at 100/1, Carlos Sainz is at 500/1, and then Sergio Perez, Daniel Ricciardo, Esteban Ocon, Lando Norris, and Kevin Magnussen are all being offered at about 1000/1. F1 bettors who like wagering on long shots might want to consider putting a small bet on George Russell at 2500/1.
The Formula One Constructor Championship odds don't include many surprises. Even with their current issues, Mercedes is a massive 4/11 favourite. Sportsbooks have Ferrari at 10/3 and Red Bull's at 4/1. After that? It's Renault and McLaren both hovering around 250/1. At 500/1, some might find value in either Alpha Tauri, Racing Point, or Alpha Romeo. Can Williams catch a few breaks and earn some gutsy bettor a 2000/1 return? Probably not. But if Buster Douglas, the 2007 New York Giants, and the 1919 Cincinnati Reds have taught us anything, it's that underdogs can pull off the unthinkable.
Whether you are backing a favourite or if you're behind a long shot like Pierre Gasly, the 2020 Formula One Championship promises to bring fans and punters their share of thrills. Some intriguing storylines will play out too. Will Lewis Hamilton further cement his place in F1 history? Will Sebastian Vettel make a statement of his own? Can the young Lando Norris overcome the setbacks that plagued his 2019 rookie season? Lando seems to think so. What do you think? What are your predictions for this year's F1World Championship? If you have confidence in your forecasting skills, or you just feel lucky, why not place a bet or two? That's guaranteed to raise the Formula One excitement to a stratospheric level.